Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail:
Florida
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Description:
The 106.5-mile Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (FKOHT) stretches the length of the Florida Keys, from Key Largo to Key West, the southernmost point of the continental United States. The trail runs parallel to US Highway 1 (there's not really anywhere else it can go!) and is quite exposed, so bring lots of sunscreen.

Tracing the course of Henry Flagler's old railroad line, FKOHT includes 23 of the rail bridges, the longest of which is 7 miles. Some of these have been converted back to their original configuration, but with added safety rails and an asphalt surface. To accommodate fishing, platforms have been added to some of the reconditioned spans, including the 2.2-mile Long Key Bridge and smaller spans at Channel 2, Toms Harbor and Toms Harbor Cut. In addition, the trail links a number of superb nature areas with historic sites, not to be missed.

As of September 2010, about 70 miles of the multi-use, paved trail have been completed. For the rest, users will have to share the road with vehicles. Use extreme caution as some areas have narrow shoulders, causing potentially dangerous traffic encounters.

The trail is expected to be complete in 2013 and when finished will incorporate educational kiosks, roadside picnic areas, scenic overlooks, fishing piers and cat walks, boat ramps, water access points and businesses and services to support trail users. Visit the FKOHT news site for status updates.

Some of the section highlights include:
Lower Matacumbe Key to Channel 5 historic bridge, 5.5 miles (MM 72-MM 77.5)
Long Key Trail & Bridge, 2.2 miles (MM 65-MM 68.5)
Grassy Key Trail, 4 miles (MM 54.5-MM 58.5)
Toms Harbor/Toms Harbor Cut, 5 miles (MM 60.5-MM 61.5)
Saddlebunch Trail, 4 miles (MM 11-MM15)
Knight's Key Trailhead to Pigeon Key, 2 miles (MM45-MM 47)
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock State Park
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park
Indian Key Historic State Park
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park
San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve
Curry Hammock State Park
Bahia Honda State Park
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

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Parking & Trail Access:
Parking is available in many places throughout the Florida Keys. For detailed route information traveling from Key West, visit the FKOHT northbound route map. For detailed route information traveling from Key Largo, visit the FKOHT southbound route map.

For more information, contact:
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail
Office of Greenways & Trails
3 La Croix Court
Key Largo, FL 33037
(305) 853-3571

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Reviews: [1 trail ratings]
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Florida Overseas Heritage Trail 2/1/11
By youker in February, 2011
I just finished this off road trail from Key Largo to Key West for the third January in a row. Many bikers ride the narrow shoulder for the entire 106 miles from Key Largo to Key West including the 7 mile bridge, but I prefer the safety of the about 70 miles of off highway trail based on the old RR bridges and the byways of old Route 4A as well as trail along sidewalks. I stay in motels, park the car and ride in both directions. Often the wind is bad on the rides to the east. In the past year the Florida State Office of Greenways for the trail has completed several new sections including Casey Key and Ramrod Key. In the later section they use highway bridges but ones with a very wide shoulder. This web site has a linkage to their web site where a map is available. Youker
Key Largo to Key West
By youker in March, 2010
I did most of this trail again in January 2010 based in a rented condo in Marathon. I just want to add that they are constructing three new sections at Craigs Key, the east end of Grassy Key and some bridges in the lower Keys. There are also several routes off the basic trail for additional cycling. All are marked on the excellent map from the Florida Greenways and Trails web site or in the brochure available from the various visitors center in the Keys. Youker
Florida Keys Trail
By youker in January, 2009
I finished the trail Jan 26, 2009. I highly recommend the sections with a separate paved path and I do not recommend those sections where you must ride on the narrow sholders with heavy truck traffic going by which I did not do, although I met several thru bikers who did put themselves at risk. Being alone I would park my car and bike a section going both ways. The wind was bad every day on the west to east sections. I stayed in motels in Key Largo and Big Pine Key. At the end I biked the full circle of Key West parking at the old fort Taylor. Each of the five main keys has a visitors center for rest stops and there are also many state parks with facilities. The 2 mile long Long Key Bridge and the 2 mile bridge to Pigeon Key were especially scenic. Youker
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